All Hail!! A call to access Open-Source

[Antrine]

This is call to preserve and enhance the legacy of C3C.
Major Points:

~Have Firaxis move on completely and totally to CIV$.
~Petition for open-source access to C3C, with safeguards against piracy of the Vanilla underneath.
~Organize CIV3 fanatics to tweak and upgrade on a path to preservation and improvement for both MP and Editor Modding.

Remember, all things are possible. Eventually this will most likely happen to all popular aged software. However, here we are calling for now!

As stated elsewhere the ‘cash cow’ has moved on or changed form, yet this will still stimulate renewing sales of the old Vanilla underneath, for in order to access the both enhancements and mods built thereon.

Sincerely,

[vmxa1]

I think this call is at least two or three year premature. I wish you well though, but even if Civ4 is totally new code, they will not want to have III code out and about just yet. Actually, probably never.

[Maquiladora]

A call to "power" perhaps? no chance.

[Antrine]

Why not? Don't they trust they will do go get em, bang up job with CIV4 that will leave any of our efforts in the dust?

Being visionary is sometimes appearing a weakness. However, ideas grow and this game 'has' already taken up a 'life' of its own.

[Aqualung71]

I very much doubt they would release it. It would create additional competition at a time when they want to maximise their marketing efforts on Civ4. Besides which, they wouldn't want their fanbase at Apolyton to become distracted with a super-version of C3C when they want them to buy Civ4.

[vmxa1]

Not to mention they are not interested in giving away work that they put a lot of money into over time.

CTP was long after the fact and they have no lic to use civ anyway. Probably much of the stuff is not useful any longer with new hardware and interfaces to the OS and a new OS.

[Antrine]

Well maybe as they get into CIV4 and having a little confidence in their efforts. My idea is to keep a limited use basis where whatever is done, still requires the possession of the Vanillas.

It can sometimes be amazing, they seem somewhat willing to discard C3C already. Fix it up and resell the whole package again one thing, as CIV complete Platinum or something similiar and many of us would contribute our Mods just for a chance at more game tweaks and game editor improvements.

Well, anyway thanks for help keeping the idea alive.

[Antrine]

...and we definitely what a 'super-version of C3C' no matter and especially if CIV$ falls on its face. Er, oh well just when I have been lately so behaving.

[vmxa1]

AFAIK no one has released Civ 1 code, let alone II or III.

[Antrine]

Yes, that is very true and did they not keep using and building on it until this very last patch. Old inherited code. Mayhap some interest now will swing things, since they are truely starting fresh with new code. I am not looking to trash copyrights, just preserve and enhance with stipulation of buying/owning the Vanillas underneath. How much can that hurt? If at all.

Or gee, maybe someone of merit will just use some these ideas.

[Zanzin]

I doubt it'll happen.

Mainly I look at the release of CTP2 code, and the very particular circumstances that resulted in it's release -
1. Activision no longer develop any games in house
2. Ctp2 was quite a broken game, even in it's patched state. Sales for it fell well below expectations (one of the reasons it didn't continue to get patched, the dev team was disbanded)
3. I think the code wasn't even at Activison, but one of the programmers had it? (could be wrong here). Of course, he had to go through Activision to okay the release and what not, plus he had to remove all comments in the code.
4. It was basically released to a very small but dedicated community who really really wanted it....there was no reason for Activison not to do it (other than being a$$holes )

So....I can't see it happening with Civ3 because
1. Despite this recently released patch (that should soon be rectified) civ3 isn't in the kind of "broken" state that ctp2 was - in fact it's very playable, over and over.
2. With civ4 in the works...well, what's the point of us developing a super civ3? We should be getting that with civ4 (albeit we have to pay for it!)
3. I just can't see the point in it. Plus I don't feel Firaxis have that kind of community relations spirit in them.

Anyhoo, just my thoughts (interesting thread though btw)

[WarpStorm]

Re: All Hail!! A call to access Open-Source

Originally posted by Antrine
~Petition for open-source access to C3C, with safeguards against piracy of the Vanilla underneath.

This isn't really possible considering the code-base. If they released the source code to C3C, anybody could rebuild it to not need Civ3 at all.

I personally don't see this happening as it would compete directly with Civ4. Maybe after Civ4 is out...

[player1]

This isn't really possible considering the code-base. If they released the source code to C3C, anybody could rebuild it to not need Civ3 at all.

Take a look at Ctp2 forums and you'll see it's not like that.

First, source code does not included data material, like art, units anuimations etc.

So with just code and without a content you won't be able to play the game.

You'll need a data from original game.



P.S.
As for open-source Civ3?


if we get lucky, maybe in 5 years.

[WarpStorm]

Originally posted by player1
First, source code does not included data material, like art, units anuimations etc.

So with just code and without a content you won't be able to play the game.

But I can download a nearly full set of fan-created art resources from here, today. If there were missing parts, I'm sure those gaps would be filled in very quickly.

[Maquiladora]

civ3 is also a more popular game, so there would be more people willing to find and "fill the gaps", we are all honest people on the CtP2 source code, however.

2. Ctp2 was quite a broken game, even in it's patched state. Sales for it fell well below expectations (one of the reasons it didn't continue to get patched, the dev team was disbanded)

The reason it didnt continue to get patched was because the programmers were told to pack their bags straight after the only patch was released.

CTP was long after the fact and they have no lic to use civ anyway. Probably much of the stuff is not useful any longer with new hardware and interfaces to the OS and a new OS.

Just because they have no license to civ does not mean they cant release another Call to Power game, in fact thats what they did with CtP2, they lost the rights to use the name Civilization and so took away the name.

As to whether its not useful any longer, im not a programmer but i suspect some of the professionals we have working on the code would not be doing so if they felt it was useless.